Six men suspected to be part of a syndicate that has been stealing Millions from Kenyans from their Mpesa and bank accounts have been detained for 15 days to allow police complete investigations.
Kahawa Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage allowed an application filed by the state last week to allow them time to hold the suspects as they conduct investigations.
They include Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui, Ruel Kipkoech Yator, Kevin Koech, Laban Koech,Towett Kipkorir and Weldon Rono who were nabbed in Mombasa as they were planning another cyber attack.
However, even though he ruled that the application by the state had merit and allowed it, he declined the application for 40 days sought and instead gave them 15 days.
The 15 days will run from June 3 when they were first arraigned in court meaning they have already spent 7 days and have 8 more days to be in custody.
The case will be mentioned on June 19 for further directions from court.
Last week on Tuesday, Cpl Serah Ngoiri told court that the suspects are part of a wider syndicate operation all over the country and even outside the country.
She asked the court to grant them 40 days to continue holding the suspects as they conclude investigations.
She said they are believed to have spoofed millions of monies from unsuspecting members of the public
“They have been moving around the country spoofing cash from unsuspecting members of the public by trapping them through a device with a spoofing application which manipulates phone calls to make them appear as if they are originating from authentic caller and in most cases from customer care services and end up defrauding them using shared information,” the court heard.
She said the six were arrested at a Mombasa house in Nyali where they were suspected to be planning or coordinating unlawful scheme of siphoning cash from Mpesa accounts, accounts from different banks including foreign bank accounts.
When they got to Nairobi, Upon search of their homes, several Safaricom SIM cards and card holders were recovered which police believe were used to defraud from Kenyans.
However, through their lawyers Danstan Omari and Sophie Nekesa, they had strongly opposed the detention telling court that there are no compelling reasons to detain them.
Omari said the affidavit in court did not disclose any compelling reason to warrant the 40 days that the police were requesting for.
He further asked court to release the six back to their family members who were in court so that they can go back to their respective work stations some he said are Boda Boda riders.
Omari said the court should not be discriminatory in this case saying Governor George Natembeya was released on bail on the same day he was arraigned thus even his clients should be released.
